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AAP
AAP
Politics
William Ton and Adrian Black

Liberal leader promises party unity after messy battle

Brad Battin is the fourth opposition leader to face off against Victoria's Labor government. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin has praised John Pesutto - the man he toppled for the top job - as he seeks to unite the fractured party.

"John is an important part of our team," Mr Battin told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.

"We know that in the past, he's a hard worker, he's a fighter, and he'll continue that fight for (Hawthorne) and for whatever is required in Liberal Party, because he will put the party before himself every day."

Unity is Mr Battin's motto as he takes the reins after a bruising leadership battle, which culminated in a party room vote on Friday.

The Berwick MP is the fourth opposition leader to face off against to Victoria's Labor government after ousting Mr Pesutto.

Mr Pesutto opted not to run and Mr Battin was elected above Mornington MP Chris Crewther, while opposition financial spokeswoman Jess Wilson's tilt at the top job failed in the first round of voting.

John Pesutto
Former Liberal leader John Pesutto declined to contest the leadership vote. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Battin said he had spoken to Mr Pesutto when the former leader congratulated him after the vote, but they had not spoken since.

"I only spoke to John quickly after, but I'll be calling John this weekend," Mr Battin said.

A former police officer and small business owner, Mr Battin said his time outside of politics put him in good stead to understand the pressures Victorians faced.

Mr Battin was in South Yarra on Saturday, reintroducing Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway for February's Prahran by-election.

The seat is up for grabs following the resignation of Greens MP Nick Hibbins, who quit after admitting to an affair with a staffer.

The new Victorian Liberal leadership team
The new Victorian Liberal leadership team features four men in the top jobs. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Battin sidestepped questions about his all-male leadership team, instead focusing on the need for more police and tougher bail laws for youth offenders.

"The reality is you need to put programs in place that you can work with young people when they enter the justice system, so that they don't continue on a life of crime from stealing a Mars bar to breaking into your home with a knife," Mr Battin said.

The shift in leadership came after a Federal Court judge found Mr Pesutto had defamed ousted MP Moira Deeming by implying she was a Nazi-sympathiser after a rally she attended was gatecrashed by extremists.

Former tennis player Sam Groth appeared to spark the leadership spill earlier in December when he resigned to the back bench after Mr Pesutto refused to step down as leader following the court loss.

Mr Groth was elected unopposed as deputy leader, while David Davis was elevated to leader of the upper house, with Evan Mulholland retaining his deputy upper house leader role.

Liberal MP Moira Deeming
MPs voted readmit Moira Deeming to the Liberal party room. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Mrs Deeming was readmitted to the party after MPs voted for her return on Friday.

"I'm very grateful to everyone who lobbied to get this done, both inside and outside the Liberal Party," she said.

Mr Battin will have two years to make his mark before a state election at which the Labor government will seek a rare fourth term.

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